Former Detroit Red Wings bench boss Mike Babcock will have to wait for another NHL head coaching gig.
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He had been listed as a “legitimate” candidate for the Washington Capitals head coaching position after interviewing for the formerly vacated position.
The Capitals announced that veteran head coach and 2006 Stanley Cup champion Peter Laviolette has accepted the job.
Babcock originally got his start in the NHL with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 2002-03 season, where he lead the upstart team to a startling berth in the Stanley Cup Finals in just his first season behind an NHL bench.
Two years later, he was hired by the Red Wings, eventually leading them to the 2008 Stanley Cup victory and within a game of a repeat the following season, and has been one of the most successful professional hockey coaches in recent history – both in the NHL and internationally with Team Canada, winning two Gold Medals in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
However, his career came under scrutiny following his dismissal by the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this season. Multiple reports from former (and current) players painted Babcock in a less-than-flattering light regarding his treatment of them and coaching style.
